


Glares of the Spiteful

by NipahNipahMarchingSong



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Bullying, Child Neglect, Discrimination, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Naruto is precious, Other, Protective Uchiha Sasuke, Protectiveness, Sasuke has a soft spot for Naruto, Shimura Danzou Being an Asshole, Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto Friendship, Uzumaki Naruto Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:41:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22876474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NipahNipahMarchingSong/pseuds/NipahNipahMarchingSong
Summary: Sasuke never liked the way the villagers treated Naruto. While he was in the spotlight, the other was mistreated by all of the villagers for something he can't control. The day that he spent with Naruto at the marketplace was no different, and it irritated Sasuke to no end.
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 4
Kudos: 292





	Glares of the Spiteful

A bittersweet, titian pigment dyed the complete sky as the sun’s flare began descending from the face of the Earth. 

Each cloud’s softness was furnished with an orange color, and the brightest star’s radiation gleamed through it’s shadows. The lands of Konoha was coated with the baffling shadow from the dingy twilight. With his hands in his pockets, Sasuke Uchiha’s onyx eyes peered at the lustrous sunset.

“Sasukeeee!”

Without having the need to turn around, Sasuke already knew who that voice belonged to. The voice had a shrill emphasis to it’s tenor, brimming with vigorous energy. The sound of the other boy’s shoes thumping the stony ground was effortlessly heard from Sasuke’s behind.

Standing behind him was Naruto Uzumaki, scratching the back of his blonde hair. Sasuke didn’t need to turn around and face him, but it was already an instinct of his to turn around if he notices the blond behind him.

“Nice day, isn’t it?” Naruto questioned. “What do you say we go to the market for some dinner? Let’s eat at my place!”

“Hn… Usuratonkachi…” Sasuke muttered. “You just ran out of instant ramen, didn’t you? And no, I am not eating at your place. I want to have dinner alone. Buy the instant ramen yourself.”

“H-Hey! Other kids at this age usually go by pairs, you know…”

“I’m not like other kids.”

“Yeah… I can see that…”

Sasuke urged his hidden smile to withdraw. He wasn’t yearning for Naruto to uncover the verifiable truth that he felt euphoric around the other boy. Yes, Sasuke was unique compared to the other kids. However, that doesn’t make him weird. He was a special boy in his own way, perhaps that was what Naruto meant. As much as Sasuke loathed to declare it, he had realized his fondness for the blond since his childhood days.

Sasuke was one of the few people in the village who didn’t picture Naruto as a treacherous monster. Actually, he was one of the only children who didn’t discriminate him. As a matter of fact, other kids were in dominance of their overreacting, bossy parents. Sasuke was deprived of his parents at an early age. Even if they were around, they wouldn’t be so spiteful as to hate on a pristine child for something that he couldn’t control. That’s where the bond of Naruto and Sasuke began. Both boys understood one another’s loneliness, and albeit rivals, they cared about each other more than they thought they did.

“Well, then,” Naruto spoke up. “If you really refuse to stay at my place, then can’t I stay at yours tonight?”

“Why are you being so persistent?” asked Sasuke. “I told you already. I want to have dinner alone.”

“But that is no fun, Sasuke… Can’t we eat together, please? Just for tonight?”

Sasuke had already caught the truth behind Naruto’s mask. He was simply craving for an evening feast with his best friend. He didn’t want his only partner later that night to be his own shadow. 

Because Sasuke was one of the first bonds that Naruto ever made. When no one else was there for him, Sasuke was. Naruto saw Sasuke as a reason to keep on living for the days that were to come. Even though Sasuke wanted to conceal his true thoughts, there was no denying it. Naruto never failed to make Sasuke smile, even through the darkest of days. The happiness they were both yearning for could be obtained as long as they were together. Sasuke could declare his rejection, but the him inside of him controlled his words. He couldn’t reject Naruto’s appeal any longer.

“Alright, dobe,” Sasuke responded. “I’m coming with you to the marketplace. I need to buy some food of my own anyway. However, you can’t sleep on my bed tonight. You are going home as soon as dinner is over. Deal?”

“That works for me!”

Harnessing a blissful beam, Naruto began hurdling to the location of the market, hopping like a perky bunny rabbit. Sasuke had never seen his best friend look so mirthful in forever. With his hands still inside of his pockets, Sasuke wore a blithe smile that was so small that no one could witness it unless they study his lips very, very closely.

Sasuke could identify if Naruto was legitimately jubilant or if he was veiling his heartwrenching senses underneath a chirpy mask. The smile that Naruto was currently exhibiting was, beyond a shadow of doubt, his honest feelings. Sasuke, as one of the first bonds that Naruto had ever made, would know that for sure. Naruto (probably) didn’t know it, but Sasuke cared about him more than he thought he did. He just hid his own true emotions underneath a mask as well.

_Oh Naruto_ , Sasuke thought, _What am I going to do in my life if you weren’t here?_

“Hey, Sasuke!” Naruto called out. “You coming or not?!”

“Usuratonkachi!” Sasuke shouted back. “Don’t underestimate me!”

Deep beneath Sasuke’s passionless persona was a young, grief-stricken boy who was stripped of his family and his clan on the same night. However, whenever Naruto was around, he felt like he could place the fragments of his damaged joy back together. Perhaps that boy could be the dawn of his new destiny. As for Naruto, the same went for him. Perhaps he could finally attain his euphoria with the support of his best friend.

Tucking away his contented smile once again, Sasuke began darting towards Naruto. Upon reaching the blonde-haired boy’s side, Sasuke clutched his hand in his as they continued walking.

“W-Wha—?!” Naruto gasped, surprised at the sudden interaction. “What are you doing, Sasuke?!”

“Don’t sweat it,” Sasuke responded. “Knowing you, you might get lost in less than a minute. I’m just doing this so that I won’t lose you.”

“Eh?”

“Don’t get the wrong idea. Losing you means neglecting my team member. That means I won’t pass Kakashi’s tests. Come on now. Let’s head over to the marketplace, dobe.”

“Hmph. Teme.”

The marketplace was huddled with whimsical villagers strolling around and purchasing food in all quarters. 

Perpetual noises from chattering jaws rang all over the sunset-illuminated market. Naruto and Sasuke wandered around the street, through the stupendous cluster, never leaving each other’s side. People around were too busy purchasing fruits and vegetables to recognize the two boys. The two friends decided that it was better off that way, because each eye would only glance at Naruto with venomous glare. As long as Naruto’s hand was grappling Sasuke’s palm, no harsh treatment would come to the blond. What Sasuke was tense about was their cruel injustice towards him.

Allusions suffused Sasuke’s mind and his grip on Naruto’s hand strengthened. Naruto wanted Sasuke to come with him because wouldn’t be able to purchase anything if the latter wasn’t around. Each seller would bury their heads in the sand, as if Naruto was never there to begin with. Another possibility usurped the odds and ends of Sasuke’s mind. They would slander Naruto and humiliate him in public. They’d fire barbarous pebbles and rocks at him, either while snickering or jeering. Naruto wanted Sasuke to be there so that he could safeguard him from their cruelty.

“Ah, Sasuke-kun!”

A vendor of many different types of food called Sasuke’s name, provoking both boys to turn their heads to the right. Sasuke wasn’t sure if it was out of the vendor’s condolence or if it was just in his nature, but he always called out to Sasuke whenever he passed through the marketplace. Nonetheless, Sasuke doesn’t advance towards him unless necessary. The fact that he calls out to him almost everyday already felt noisy to the Uchiha’s ears. The vendor was chubby, and had a counter just like every other peddler in the marketplace.

Having the other villagers call out his name whenever they catch a glimpse of him was no surprise to Sasuke any longer. He was the one of the last remaining survivors of the Uchiha clan; and for this reason, many inhabitants of the Hidden Leaf sympathized with his distressful martyrdom. The so-called kindness they had, however, were accompanied by their selfishness. On that account, Sasuke felt like they only fathomed him for his strength and his looks. That was Naruto’s reason to outshine Sasuke’s prominence. The blond wanted to glisten in the spotlight as well, where others held him in high regard.

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke continued to hold Naruto’s hand in his and approached the vendor, looking up at him from his height and the table of the stall. The vendor was a fat guy, weighing about 100 kilograms. For his height, that was marginally obese. He had auburn brown hair that was as flat as a pancake, making it seem as though his scalp was naked. He had a dirty apron on, seemingly used for baking and cooking. As a result of being an adult, he was towering compared to the boys that he was currently facing.

“How are you doing today?” The vendor questioned. “Did you run out of food?”

“Don’t bother,” Sasuke responded coldly. “I’m here for the typical everyday stuff.”

“I see, I see. Here, take this. It’s the last one in store today.”

Out from the mouth of the stall, the vendor’s hand came. His fingers were clinging to an oblique candy, nails nudging into the edge of the wrapper. He wore a compassionate smile, advocating Sasuke to welcome the candy into his hands. When Sasuke reached his hand out, the concrete sweetmeat drowsed on his palm through the friable covering. The vendor had given it to him.

Sasuke was never ever fond of sweets, and the candy that the vendor had given to him was evidently coated in a vast supply of sugar. The sapphire chromatism of the wrapper told him that it was infused with blueberry piquancy. Irked by the vendor’s naivete, Sasuke placed the candy inside of his ivory pocket. Sasuke was a bit provoked by the fact that the vendor was so oblivious to his antipathy towards sweets, even after years of knowing him and calling out his name. However, if he was rude to this vendor, the latter may take it out on Naruto.

Naruto cleared his throat, breaking the silence between Sasuke and the vendor. “We want some instant ramen, please!”

“How’s your training, Sasuke-kun?” The vendor asked again, precisely trying to bypass Naruto’s appeal. “Have you learned any new jutsus? I heard you mastered Chidori!”

Naruto, getting through the vendor’s head, frowned whilst bearing pensive, cobalt irises. He knew very well that, once again, the villagers were neglecting him and his existence.

Sasuke was quick to catch Naruto’s misery when he turned towards the blond, and scowled at the vendor with glacial eyes and grinding teeth. He was enraged with the vendor’s treatment against his best friend. 

"We want some instant ramen, darn it!!” Sasuke clamored, voice startingly loud.

The vendor, albeit stunned for a few seconds, regained the courage to speak again. “Oh, yeah, right… What are you going to have for dinner tonight, Sasuke-kun?”

Sasuke averted his eyes from the vendor, not wanting to see the repulsive man’s face any longer. This insolent, discourteous man who thought he had the right to evade Naruto just like that. A scorching flame was born inside of Sasuke, and there was no water to put it out. However, he could at least hold it in.

“It’s none of your business,” Sasuke responded, frigid ice accompanying his words.

“Do you want anything more, Sasuke-kun?” asked the vendor, as if unbothered by Sasuke’s coldness as he only mentioned his name without any mention of Naruto’s.

“We want instant ramen, tomatoes, and onigiri with okaka. …Don’t waste my time! Quit standing there stunned and get your work done!” Sasuke spoke in a demanding accent, not even bothering to say ‘please’ to this insolent vendor in front of him. If this vendor was going to be rude to Naruto, then Sasuke was going to be rude towards him as revenge. Naruto was too soft to stand up for himself, so Sasuke had to do it.

“Okay then,” The vendor said to Sasuke. “Coming right up!”

“Took you long enough, stupid.”

Taking a glance at Naruto, Sasuke quickly alluded the agony delineated on the blond’s face. His cerulean beryl eyes peered onto the ground, repressing his bitter tears from flooding out of his eyelids. Sasuke felt his heart shatter in two, just by gazing at the despondent boy he was with. Naruto didn’t do anything wrong; he didn’t commit any sin so that he could be neglected and disregarded like this. The enlivening smile that Naruto was clothed in earlier vanished, as if it never existed to begin with. As if it was never there.

A terrible memoir remigrated in Sasuke’s mind; a memory that he didn’t want to remember. In the middle of the village, there stood a desolated Naruto. Everywhere he went, he heard humid gossip regarding him. No one bothered to give him food, and no one bothered to become friends with him. For some strange reason, he was shunned and loathed by the entire village. A younger version of Sasuke stood there, overhearing the hostile words each villager said about Naruto. However, he couldn’t do anything to help. He could do nothing as people insulted him everywhere.

_“I heard that he was the reason the fourth died!”_

_“Really? Shame on him! That boy never should’ve existed to begin with!”_

_All the young blond wanted was to buy some ramen from Ichiraku Ramen, but unfortunately, the money that he had wasn’t enough. Even if he asked for some money from the villagers, there was absolutely no way they’d give him anything. Holding a mournful feeling in his chest, Naruto gaped at the small amount of money dozing on top of his hand. At least people held that in high regard. Without enough money, he couldn’t buy any food. His stomach began to rumble._

_All of a sudden, the unexpected happened. Naruto felt as though something had hit his back ankle. What could that be? Naruto turned around, and found 234 yen sitting on the ground beside him. Who could that have come from? Naruto genuflected on the ground, seizing the 234 yen from the ground. He started investigating the entire village with his ocean blue eyes, pursuing the one who had threw that 234 yen. And then he saw him. A raven-haired boy standing idle, staring at Naruto while the other villagers were casually passing by as if there was no pitiful boy on the ground. But before he could thank the boy for his bestowing deeds, he left._

_He later found the same boy sitting beside the pond as if thinking to himself. The sun was setting from the face of the Earth, allowing the ghastly moon to take it’s place. Taking this as an opportunity to speak to him, Naruto was quick to approach Sasuke Uchiha, the boy who had offered him coinage when no one else did. While Sasuke was sitting in one place of the brown veranda, Naruto took a seat beside him._

_“Weren’t you the boy who handed me that 234 yen earlier?” asked Naruto._

_“……” Sasuke didn’t respond._

_“Thanks so much for that! Sasuke Uchiha, wasn’t it? How can I offer you my gratitude?”_

_“Hn… you don’t really have to do anything. Not like you could do something anyway.”_

_“Oh… Uhh… I was stunned. You don’t see me as a… monster? Like everyone else around here?”_

_“I’m not like other people. In fact, I dislike almost all of them. They’re just ignorant, insensitive people who might never be able to understand both me and you in terms of loneliness.”_

_“You’re lonely, too?”_

_“…Hn.”_

_“I’m sorry you feel that way…”_

_“Don’t pity me, dobe.”_

_“……Hehe…”_

_Both boys wore a smile, Naruto’s being wide and clear while Sasuke’s being small and unseen. Their legs were swaying back and forth underneath the portico, too miniature to embrace the water’s drizzling waves. Their reflections were emulated in the aquatic surface, shadowed by the apricot color of the ravishing dawn. The evening cicadas started crying in the summer sky, indicating that the Earth’s satellite was going to rise soon. Naruto and Sasuke were meant to head back, but they agreed to watch this beautiful scene again._

_When the next day came, Sasuke confronted Hiruzen, the Third Hokage of Konoha. His purpose was to speak to Hiruzen about a certain issue that he had been perturbed about for quite some time. Now Sasuke wasn’t too sure if Hiruzen could do anything about it, because he was allies with that douchebag Danzo. Sasuke had always hated Danzo, for reasons that he wasn’t so aware of. He just always felt malice and peril whenever that man was around. However, just sitting around wasn’t going to solve anything at all. If Sasuke wanted to get past this obstacle, he had to trust his gut._

_“How long is Naruto Uzumaki going to be hated and ignored by the entire village?” Sasuke had questioned him._

_“You’re too young to understand, Sasuke-kun,” Hiruzen had responded. “Maybe this treatment towards him is going to go on forever. We can only hope it’d end.”_

_“Why? You’re the Third Hokage, aren’t you, Hiruzen? Save him! Save him from this injustice! You can do it, can’t you? So, all you have to do is tell your annoying people to shut up!”_

_“You’re still just a child. Once you grow up, you’ll understand the truth very well. You’ll understand how I can’t do anything about it.”_

_Even after years after Hiruzen’s ‘wait and see’ declaration, Sasuke still couldn’t comprehend the sadistic prejudice the villagers of Konoha used upon Naruto. Sure, he was a mischievous little prankster, but he was only that way due to their negligence. Sasuke always saw the desolate swing that Naruto sat on, and he was always by himself, without anyone to be there beside him. Everyone else was too cruel and barbarious to show him kindness. They always threw rocks at him, because he could shine and they all couldn’t. Could they even be considered human?_

“Alright, here you go.”

Sasuke snapped out of his thoughts when he perceived the vendor’s voice again. Naruto had decided that both he and Sasuke should have a fair share of their money, so he had brought his wallet with him just like how Sasuke had brought his. Naruto combed through his pocket and took out a green wallet. He opened the wallet’s zipper, fingering the silver coins within it’s walls. The frigid metal collided with his fingers. While Sasuke was collecting the food that they bought, he suddenly caught the sound of Naruto’s gasp.

He had stumbingly dropped his wallet to the rocky ground, the viridian surface of the purse becoming dirty as it’s contents began pouring out of it’s interior. Each coin began rolling throughout the different regions of the marketplace, others even colliding with feet of Konoha’s other villagers. Naruto, guilty, knelt down onto the ground and began gathering the diminutive chips of coins on the ground. When he searched up, the villagers’ ferocious stares bore into his delicate eyes. Naruto’s heart was about to sink into the depths of his stomach the more he looked at their spiteful glares. 

Each villager had seen his coins fall from his wallet, but no one bothered to help him at all. They just peered their eyes at him as if watching a play where the villain plans out his motives. At that moment, Sasuke knelt down as well, picking up every coin that Naruto had dropped. Even though he had concealed his emotions deep inside of him, the fire was getting stronger and stronger by the minute. Accompany it with a gigantic bundle of oil, and Sasuke would snap. Naruto abruptly saw his best friend’s efforts into his guidance and support.

“Who said you could help me?” Naruto conveyed. “I can do this by myself.”

“Be grateful, Usuratonkachi,” Sasuke retorted. “If I weren’t here, you’d be picking up these coins until tomorrow morning.”

“Sheesh, you can just leave, you know. I don’t need anyone’s help. Besides, you said you wanted to have dinner alone tonight, didn’t you? Go ahead. Have dinner without me.”

Sasuke hindered his astonished gulp at Naruto’s words. Just a few moments ago, Naruto was evidently excited about their two-man feast later that night. In fact, he was the one who forced it to happen, but now that same boy was telling Sasuke that he could go on ahead without him. It was outstandingly painful. It’d take effort to believe that this was the same boy Sasuke had a conversation with earlier. Not even he himself wanted to believe it.

“You and I are going to have dinner together tonight,” Sasuke demanded. “Now quit being such a pain. If I help you out, I help you out. Don’t say anything to stop me.”

Another villager’s voice retorted. “Oh my!” 

Suddenly, all the other villagers began talking. Sasuke investigated the villagers with his eyes, and detected an unpleasant scenery. As soon as Sasuke began gathering the diffused coins, all the other villagers began picking them up as well. They didn’t do it when Naruto was picking up the coins by himself. If Sasuke didn’t assist Naruto, then he would’ve been still gathering all of these coins, without anyone deciding to help him out. Sasuke clenched his teeth, averting his enmity from bombarding each and every one of these imbeciles. However, these villagers just added a teensy drop of oil to the turbulent flame inside of him. They were so cruel to Naruto. How could they?

“Here you go, Sasuke-kun.”

Perhaps in a futile attempt to help out, the villagers strutted towards Naruto and Sasuke to help accumulate the money. Be that as may, Sasuke had knowledge of their nasty objectives. They were just going to help Sasuke out; without paying attention to Naruto. Out of his burning rage, Sasuke prompted his sharingan while gawking ferociously at the villagers, gritting his teeth. Crimson and ebony emblems lustered in the Uchiha’s oculars, as if besieging the villagers to get out of his sight. The villagers recoiled and released the coins on accident, the mintage trundling on the lapidarian lane. Tasting their foreboding adhorrence, Sasuke averted his eyes and continued picking up each coin.

_They’re all so annoying_ , Sasuke thought.

Sasuke was feeling frenetic. Of course he was. Naruto was invisible inside of their heads. In their world, he never even existed. Sasuke’s world was different. He cared about Naruto and was willing to stand up for him even if no one else was going to, even though he tried to hide it as much as he possibly could. These nescient, uneducated dimwits were judging him just to suit their own desires. Sasuke wanted to beat them to a pulp, but they’d take their anger out on Naruto afterwards, saying that he had been influencing him.

As soon as they finished hoisting each and every specie from the ground, Naruto and Sasuke got up. Sasuke deposited some of the money that he had assembled on the table of the stall, and hastily seized the gossamer clingfilm that the vendor was holding out to him. He did it in such a cavalier manner that it startled everyone. He didn’t even bother to say ‘thank you’. 

“Let’s go, Naruto,” Sasuke voiced firmly.

“Huh?” Naruto gasped. “Hey, wait, teme!”

With Sasuke’s right hand clasping the saran wrap, his left hand grasped Naruto’s own. Then, without another word, he began dashing out of the marketplace while the gapes of the other villagers sharply kept an eye on them as they made their exit. Sasuke didn’t look back. He wouldn’t dare. He wouldn’t dare face the people who had maltreated his best friend. With Naruto’s tan palm frozen to his own, Sasuke began darting out of the marketplace with the blond enforced to pursue him behind his back.

Naruto and Sasuke panted and palpitated as soon as they both reached the front of the latter’s house. 

Naruto was baffled. Was there a threat behind them, and he just wasn’t aware of it? It couldn’t be. If there was, Sasuke wouldn’t run. He’d fight them all off until they were either dead or have surrendered. Unless it was Orochimaru, again… But other than that, Sasuke wouldn’t depart from a crusade. To demonstrate his vigor, he’d violate the opponent with zero hesitation. Naruto didn’t see Sasuke gawking at the villagers with his Sharingan activated, so he was unsure.

A crescent moon was shimmering from the somber, azure empyrean, consorted by blazing stars. The clouds were painted in a dingy hue, though still looking cottonly. Their environs had been shaded with a more dingy tinge, though still saturated with beryl. They were lucky that the flashes of the lamps and electricity was illuminating the grounds of the Earth. Sasuke inhaled and exhaled, constraining his enmity towards the villagers. At least he and Naruto were safe from their threatening glares for the time being, even though the blond in front of him couldn’t understand that. Not yet.

“Was there a bad guy?” asked Naruto. “Could it be Orochimaru again?”

“There were a lot of them,” responded Sasuke, obviously referring to the villagers. “No, it was not Orochimaru. Rather, you were their target. You should keep yourself safe. I’m not going to baby you for the rest of your life.”

“Oh. Me? I will be fine! There were a lot of villagers. Obviously they couldn’t attack us there. And I do not need babying! I can handle myself!”

“Don’t trust any of the villagers, Naruto. They could be villains too, for all you know. I swear, you do act like a small child, believing that there’s nothing cruel about this, nothing cruel about that. That everyone is a good person.”

“I can’t trust any of them?”

_Can’t you see what they are doing to you?_ , Sasuke questioned in his mind, wanting to say it to Naruto. _How come you do not hold a grudge?_

“As the future Hokage, I will make sure everyone can be trusted in one way or another!” Naruto added positively. “That way, we can all be friends!”

Sasuke sighed. While he was furious at the harsh treatment the villagers had for Naruto, the victim was stating that he was fine.

His heart was too pure for the cruel world that fate had brought upon him. If his parents had once done something in the past, then it was not fair for their sins to be passed on to that child. He could not have been doing anything wrong when he was but an infant. Sasuke’s parents, specifically his mother, always taught him to be a kind and caring boy to those whose hands were pure and clean. He wasn’t sure if he had been treating others the way his mother wanted them to, but his coldness was melting if compared to those horrendous villagers who were demons wearing human skin.

He stared at Naruto’s sorrowful eyes again. Of course he was lying when he said that he was alright. He couldn’t have been, not after years and years of neglect and abuse. His tongue muttered out lies, but his heart knew the truth. Sasuke remembered the candy that the stupid vendor got for him. He should’ve known that he was no fan of sweetmeats, but Naruto could probably handle it. That boy was strong inside, he knew it. Sasuke dug his hands into his pocket, taking out the candy from earlier. Without Naruto’s expectations, Sasuke lent his hand, the azure candy visible on his palm. Maybe it could ease his pain for a little bit.

“What are you doing, Sasuke?” asked Naruto. 

“Do I look like I want it?” Sasuke questioned back. “If you know me like you say you do, you’ll know that I am no fan of sweets. Take it or it’ll go to waste.”

Sasuke watched as Naruto bit his lip, questioning himself whether it was right to take the candy or just leave it to Sasuke. Much to the elder boy’s horror, the boy with blonde hair and blue eyes shook his head with agony.

“The vendor gave you that candy,” Naruto began. “You realize I can’t take it.”

Sasuke felt his heart beating rapidly, guilt and shame taking over his body. Naruto had seen it. He had seen the vendor giving the candy to Sasuke. If that was the case, his already shattered heart was breaking further. He should just accept it, because Sasuke wouldn’t like to eat it anyway. It was sweet, coated with an incredible amount of sugar. Such foods were never his type anyway, so it was stupid for the vendor to give it to him.

“Just take it!” He argued. “I do not want to eat sweets, and that man was rude anyway!”

“The vendor wanted you to eat it, though,” Naruto responded unusually. “It’s rude to accept his kindness.”

“You call what he’s doing to you ‘kindness’?! If I’m being rude to him, he was being rude to you anyway! It means he just got what he deserved!”

Naruto shook his head once again. “Sorry, Sasuke. But I can’t take it. Thank you anyway.”

Before Sasuke could say anything more, Naruto dashed towards the inside of his house, refusing to show his face.

Sasuke only wanted to cheer up Naruto, but he only ended up pouring more salt into his wounds. Sasuke stared at the lonely candy resting on top of his palm, the candy that both he and Naruto rejected. He got the candy from the hands of a disgusting man, who others claimed to be one to treat others with kindness and grace. Sasuke couldn’t see even a shadow of those elements in him. Furious, Sasuke clenched his fists while the candy was still in his palm. This eventually caused the candy inside to be broken into fragments of the glory it once was.

Sasuke had finished swallowing the last bite of his okaka, with Naruto sipping the final drip of the soup on his ramen. The wall clock claimed that it was already eleven in the evening, the last hour of the night. Once that reached twelve, the start of the next day would start to rise. The two friends sat beside a traditional Japanese table, their bottoms lying down on pieces of futon. Sasuke grabbed his cup and gulped the liquid contents down his throat, he took a glimpse at the boy he had known as his best friend.

“It’s eleven, and you’ve finished dinner already,” Sasuke concluded. “It’s time for you to head back home.”

“Bush I’m shired…” Naruto moaned, eating his words as they slipped through his tongue. “Cansh I like, shtay hea for sha night?”

“I told you earlier to go home once you’re finished eating here. You agreed with me. So just go home.”

“Zzz…”

“Naruto, I told you to—”

Sasuke paused when he found out that Naruto’s head was facing the ground, light snores escaping from his mouth. It was evident that he had fallen asleep without realizing it.

Sasuke sighed. He couldn’t just force the harmonic boy out of his slumber, considering how peaceful he looked. As though what had happened earlier inn the day was all just a nightmare of his. How they both wished that it was. If the villagers’ harsh treatment towards Naruto and the massacre of Sasuke’s clan were just dreams, then they would’ve returned to the days that was filled with light. Unfortunately for them, fate wasn’t on their side. Besides, if Sasuke was to wake up Naruto and force him to walk back to his house alone, who knows what would happen to him?

He was left without a choice. Throwing away all his hesitation, Sasuke grabbed the sleeping Naruto bridal-style. Even though that could’ve woken up anyone else, Naruto was too tired for the day to open his eyes. What would he do now? Naruto’s old clothes were left at his house. Dressing him up would lead to Naruto waking up, and Sasuke didn’t want to disturb what appeared to be a harmonious sleep. 

So, Sasuke ended up dressing himself up for bed, and sleeping on the sofa, as he had made the decision to let Naruto sleep on his bed. 

Sasuke couldn’t prevent himself from smiling as he looked at the peaceful boy while he slept. 

“Good night, Usuratonkachi.”


End file.
